LESS RELIEF PAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21359, 7 December 1932, Page 14

LESS RELIEF PAY

REDUCTION OPERATIVE STRONG PROTESTS IN CITY SERIOUS RESULTS FEARED PLEA FOR POSTPONEMENT Telegrams of protest against the. reduction of allocations for tho payment of relief wages and sustenance put into force in Auckland yesterday were despatched to the Prime Minister, the lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes, the acting-Minister of Employment, tho Hon. A. Hamilton, and others yesterday on behalf of a number of local bodies and organisations interested in the unemployed. The reduction in the allocations, amounting to about 10 per cent, was announced by tho acting-Minister- of Employment some weeks ago, but has just now been put into effect in Auckland. It will mean that, the same number of men will be employed, but their remuneration will be less, while the reduction will also be applied to the amount of sustenance received by those for whom work cannot he found. Social Workers' Resolution The .position of the relief workers under the reduction was tho subject of a discussion at a meeting of the executive of the Auckland Social Workers' Association, held at tho Y.M.C.A. yesterday morning. The Rev. G. Moreton presided. As a result of the-meeting copies of the following resolutions were forwarded to the Prime Minister, the acting-Minister of Employment and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland: — "That this meeting offers the most emphatic protest against (1) the recent 10 per cent, cut in sustenance" and income of relief wages;-(2)'the deduction of the levy from persons in receipt of sustenance; (3) the 14 days' stand-down time . before qualifying for work or the granting of sustenance. "The social workers, comprising 36 oiganisations, who visit thousands ot homes in the city and suburbs, consider that they are more closely in touch with dire poverty and actual hunger than any departmental officials could be. We see semi-starvation, often amid illness, obviously due to malnutrition. In our opinion there is a growing feeling of unrest which nothing but adequate, food can dispel. We view with genuine alarm the feeling that has been created in the minds of all classes of the community by the latest action of the Government in further reducing the already inadequate standard of living. It is our considered and absolute unanimous opinion that if the Government wish to avoid serious consequences to the* country this problem should be dealt with before the House rises." Barely Enough to Live On At the meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Unemployment- Belief Committee later in the day, the Rev. T. HaUiday explained that the members of the Social Workers' Association had that morning discussed the introduction of the cut, and iiad decided to send telegrams and letters of protest. He said that, at the best the relief workers had barely enough to live on, but they had suffered two cuts, so that to-day a man who was receiving sustenance only would get as little as 6s 9d

a week. The Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, said that while he would hesitate to do anything at present that might be regarded as a criticism of the policy of the Government, he had to agree that the amount being received by the relief workers was as little as they could reasonably be expected to live upon. It looked as if the Government was giving the workers a Christmas box with one hand and taking it away with the other. Had it not been for the extra assistance given during the winter by the committee and other organisations, disastrous conditions would have resulted. He thought they should indicate to the Government the position of the unemployed, and endeavour to have the cut restored or at least postponed until after the New Year. In the opinion of Sir George Richardson. the men were "full up" of their treatment and the Government would bo well advised to postpone any reduction in the amount of pay or sustenance. x Christinas Box Nullified Mr. W. F. Stilweli, Mayor of Mount 'Albert, said he felt that the present move was fairly indicative that the smallness of the allowance being made to these men was passing till reason. He could not understand the reason for the re- • prated small reductions and alterations to the allowance. This move would completely nullify the Christmas box which the Unemployment Board had promised the men in the shape of pay for two weeks during the holidays and would do a great deal to unsettle men who were already sorely tried. Mr. W. Slaughter, officer controlling employment in the Auckland district, explained that the position was that the rates had been temporarily increased during the winter months to help the workers over the most trying period of the year, and this additional amount was being withdrawn. It was finally''decided, on the motion of Mr. Hutchison, to send a telegram to the Prime Minister stating that the committee was of the opinion that as the cut was now being applied, it would nullify to a large extent the Christmas bounty promised by the Unemployment Boaid and asking that it be postponed until after the New Year. A similar telegram was sent to the act-ing-Minister of 'Employment by Mr. Stilweli, on behalf of a large number of No. 5 scheme men in Mount Albert Borough.

CHANGED POLICY URGED SUGGESTION l-ROM CHURCHES A-'resolulion advocating changes in the /Government's method of dealing villi unemployment was passed at a meeting of the Auckland .Ministers* Association on Monday. The association, represents all the non conformist churches. The resolution urges that the Government should substitute a graduated unemployment tax for the present, flat rate, the tax to lie sufficient to ensure increased remuneration for married men in camps; that where, camps are essential married men should bo placed within a reasonable distance of their homes; and that the Government should encourage land settlement and make it possible for men with limited capital to secure small farms on satisfactory terms.